Giving homeless people a future Across the UK

We normally focus on helping one Charity each year. However, presently we are involved in a multi-year partnership with Centrepoint, a UK Charity that gives homeless young people a future and helps them turn their lives around. Centrepoint supports over 8,000 young people aged 16-25 every year and provides accommodation in over 32 different services in and around London and in the North East of England. We have set ourselves an ambitious target of raising £100,000 ($156,000 USD). We will support Centrepoint until we hit our target.

Objectives

We have set ourselves an ambitious target of raising £100,000 ($156,000 USD) to help fund Centrepoint to expand its services.

Why is this project important?

Carl Gripenstedt, Chairman of lifestyle fitness says:

“If you hit the lowest point of your life, you inevitably end up somewhere low.”

Gripenstedt feels very strongly about the issue of homelessness. 13 years ago he met and befriended a homeless man in England and attempted to rescue him from the street. Over the heartbreaking years that followed Gripenstedt housed the man on his estate in Sweden only to watch alcohol addiction take his life. Gripenstedt has also been working with Ed Mitchell for three years, the former ITN presenter who became destitute. He had respected Ed Mitchell as a business reporter and was shocked to hear of his decline. Now Mitchell is recovered, the two men share an interest in drawing media attention to the issue of homelessness.

Project resources

We make a donation to the Centrepoint fund every time a new member joins one of our clubs on behalf of every member at our Barnsley, Carlisle, Chesterfield, Darlington, Deeside, Macclesfield and Stoke clubs. In addition to this, members donate direct to Centrepoint, via our website.

Gymtopia Comment

We love this project on several levels. Firstly, the financial target is crystal clear and Lifestyle Fitness is committed to reaching it, regardless of how long it takes. Secondly, the donations are linked directly to the number of members at their clubs – remember it is Fitness Lifestyle making the donations, not members. Although of course, members are encouraged to make additional donations through the gym’s website.

Clearly, this project is very close to the Founder’s heart who has taken a significant and long-term interest in helping to solve the homeless crisis.